1925​—One Hundred Years Ago

WHAT THEY WOR EXPECTING NOT HAPPEN

Plenty of the Bible Students wor thinking da the earth wor coming become Paradise in 1925. Brother Albert Schroeder who serve on the Governing Body later on, say: “We wor thinking da the anointed Christian dem wor coming go to heaven in 1925. We wor also thinking da faithful men dem like Abraham, David and other people dem wor coming come back to life and rule over God people on earth.” So after some time when they see da this thing dem not happen, some of the brother and sister dem start getting discourage.—Prov. 13:12.

Even though they wor feeling bad, plenty of the Bible Students continue to preach. They get to know da the preaching work da the most important work for them to do. Let see how they use radio station to preach to plenty people.

THE BROTHER DEM BUILT MORE RADIO STATIONS

In 1924, plenty people listen to the WBBR radio station. So in 1925, the Bible Students built another big radio station, near Chicago, Illinois. The name for da new radio station wor WORD. Ralph Leffler who help to built this new radio station say, “People from far-far area use to listen to this radio station in the evening during the cold season.” For example, one family who wor living far off in Pilot Station in Alaska, listen to the first broadcast for this radio station. Then the family write one letter to the people da wor working to the radio station. In this letter, they tell them thank you for preparing this program da encourage them and help them to know more about God and the Bible.

The December 1, 1925 Watch Tower explain why plenty people wor able to listen to this radio station. It say: “This radio station da one of the big radio station in America da people from far off can listen to. People from all over America, Cuba and the end of Alaska can listen to this radio station. And plenty people who wor not having interest in the truth want learn more because they listening to this radio station.”

Around this same time, the Bible Students in Canada also wanted to use radio to preach. So in 1924, they built their own radio station in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan da they use to call CHUC. And later on, they give it to the organization. Da wor one of the first radio station in Canada da use to talk about the Bible. Because the place wor small, in 1925 the brother dem needed to find big place to carry this radio station. And the organization buy one old building in Saskatoon and fix it. After da, they carry the radio station there.

Because of this radio station, plenty people da wor living in the small-small towns in Saskatchewan, hear the good news for the first time. For example, one woman name Mrs. Graham listen to the radio station. After da, she write letter to the brother dem and ask for some publications. Brother George Naish say, “The way the woman ask show da she really wanted help! So we send her the whole set of the Studies in the Scriptures.” It not stay long, she start telling people about the thing dem she na learn.

WE LEARN ONE IMPORTANT TRUTH

The March 1, 1925 Watch Tower get one important article with the title “Birth of the Nation.” Wetin make this article really important? The Bible Students already knew da Satan get his organization. And the demons, false religion, the government dem and the business system all part of it. But “the faithful and discreet slave” use this article to help the brother and sister dem to know da Jehovah too get his organization da different from Satan own. The people in Jehovah organization can work together to support Jehovah and go far away from Satan and his people. (Matt. 24:45) Beside da one, the faithful slave also explain da God Kingdom start ruling in 1914. And it wor da same year da war breakout in heaven. And because of da war, they throw Satan and his demon dem down on the earth.—Rev. 12:​7-9.

Some Bible Students not agree to this new understanding. So the article say: “If anybody not agree with the new understanding da we write in the Watch Tower, they mon wait for Jehovah and continue to serve him with their whole heart.”

But how plenty Bible Students wor feeling about this article? Tom Eyre who wor pioneer from Britain say: “The brother dem wor happy about the way the article explain Revelation chapter 12. Just knowing da the Kingdom na start ruling in heaven really make us happy to start telling other people about it. It make us to want preach more. It also help us to see da Jehovah will do plenty good-good thing dem in the future.”

WITNESSING FOR JEHOVAH

Today, Jehovah Witnesses know Isaiah 43:10 good-good. It say: “‘You are my witnesses,’ declares Jehovah, ‘Yes, my servant whom I have chosen.’” But before 1925, our publication dem never use to talk much about this scripture. But things wor coming change. In 1925, The Watch Tower talk about Isaiah 43:10 and 12 in 11 different-different magazine!

To the ending part of August 1925, the Bible Students go for convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. Brother Joseph F. Rutherford write certain message to welcome the people da wor coming for the program. They write this message on the program sheet. It say: “We na come to this convention to get strength from Jehovah so da we can go back and do the preaching work with zeal.” All the people da attend this eight-day convention wor encourage to use any opportunity they get to preach about Jehovah.

On Saturday August 29, brother Rutherford give one talk with the title, “A Call to Action.” In this talk, he talk about the reason why the preaching work really important. He say: “Jehovah tell his people: ‘You are my witnesses . . . and I am God.’ Then he tell them this important thing: ‘Raise up a signal for the peoples.’ This one mean da the only people on earth who able to preach about Jehovah, da the people who he give his spirit to. And this people da his witnesses.”—Isa. 43:12; 62:10.

After Brother Rutherford finish giving his talk, he read one document with the title “Message of Hope.” And this message say da only God Kingdom will “help us to get peace, be alright in the body, be successful and get everlasting life.” Everybody on the convention agree to what this message say. Later on, they translate this document dem in different-different language and print it so da people can use it to preach. And they wor able to give about 40 million copies to people.

By da time, the Bible Students not start using the name Jehovah Witness yet. But they start to understand da it wor important for them to preach about Jehovah.

GOING BACK TO PEOPLE WHO SHOW INTEREST

Because the Bible Students wor getting plenty around the world, they wor encourage to go back to people who show interest in the good news. After they place the tract Message of Hope to plenty people, the Bulletina say: “Go back to people who you give the tract to.”

The January 1925 Bulletin give this experience from one Bible Student in Plano, Texas. It say: “When we go back to people da we preach to before, we can be surprise because they can really listen to us more than when we preach in new territory. For more than 10 years now, we na preach in one small town in our territory more than five times. This few time, sister Hendrix and my ma go there to preach again. And they place plenty book more than before.”

In the country they call Panama, one pioneer say: “Plenty people not use to listen to me when I preach to them for the first time. But when I use to go back for the second or third time, they can listen. So this year, I na spend plenty of my time going back to people who I preach to before. And I na get good-good result from some of them.”

THINKING ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE

Around the end of 1925, Brother Rutherford write letter to all the pioneer dem and tell them about all the work dem they na do for da year and the one they will do the next year. He tell them say: “During the whole year, yor really comfort plenty people who wor sad. And I know this work na make yor feel happy. In this year da coming, yor will get plenty opportunities to preach about God Kingdom and show who really worshiping him. Let all of us continue to use our voice to praise our God and our King.”

To the end of 1925, the brother dem start planning to make the branch in Brooklyn big. And in 1926, they will start the biggest construction work the organization na ever do.